Former Humphrey Fellow Mumba awarded Commonwealth Scholarship

Sixteen Zambians have been awarded Commonwealth Scholarships to undertake postgraduate studies in the UK, including 2015-16 Humphrey International Fellow at the Humphrey School, Ms. Agness Mumba. Ms. Mumba plans to use the Scholarship at the University of Sussex for studies leading to the qualification of Ph.D. in Education.

On 24 August 2017, British Council Zambia on behalf of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) hosted a pre-departure briefing for the award recipients at the British High Commission in Lusaka.

Speaking at the event, Fergus Cochrane - Dyet OBE, British High Commissioner to Zambia said;

These sixteen, fortunate Zambians have a wonderful opportunity to study in Britain at some of the best universities in the world. The UK has considerable advantages such as English language and an open, international outlook, which means our universities attract high-calibre students from every corner of the world. Most important of all, Zambia stands to benefit from the knowledge and expertise that the sixteen will bring with them on their return home.

The sixteen scholarship beneficiaries were congratulated at the British High Commission in Lusaka as they embark on Master’s and PhD programmes at universities across the UK in a variety of disciplines including engineering, public health, economics, media and communication, education and agriculture science among others. Notably, three of the sixteen scholars have been awarded PhD scholarships, which will provide three years of full support towards the completion of a doctoral postgraduate qualification at a UK university.

Ms. Mumba has worked in public service for nearly 20 years in Zambia. When she arrived at the Humphrey School in 2015, she was the Principal Education Standards Officer for the Ministry of Education and also serves as the Executive Director for the Forum of African Women Educationalists in Zambia (FAWEZA). Her other roles have included serving as principal at numerous girls schools where she focused on promoting equity in education for girls and women. Ms. Mumba has five years of experience working in special education. In 1999, without government funding or financial support, she mobilized community members in Chongwe District of Lusaka Province to establish a secondary school for girls educating over 450 girls each year. Ms. Mumba believes that education for girls is the most effective vehicle to improve the lives of families and to foster economic empowerment in developing countries. She holds a Master of Science in Public Health (health promotion) from Leeds Metropolitan University and a Master of Science in Equity Studies from the University of Dublin-Ireland.